The present disclosure relates generally to a clamp for mounting solar modules or other components.
Solar module racks are used to mount solar modules onto different types of roofs and grounds areas to form a photovoltaic array. Constructing or otherwise assembling the photovoltaic arrays is challenging for many different reasons. The photovoltaic arrays are located in outside environments and thus must be designed to withstand the outside elements. The photovoltaic arrays must be designed to live long lives. Further, as in most any industry, reducing costs is important and therefore the costs of the parts as well as ease of assembling are important in assembling photovoltaic arrays.
The present disclosure is directed to a clamp for securing a pair of solar modules or other components to a rack or other structure defining a slot. The rack comprises a first clamp member, a second clamp member and a clamp actuator interconnecting the first and second clamp members for moving the first and second clamp members between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The first clamp member includes a pair of engagement members and a bridge interconnecting the engagement members. Each engagement member includes a pair of flanges. Each pair of flanges extends away from the other engagement member and is configured to engage a respective solar module. The bridge and the engagement members define a bore. The second clamp member is received by the bore and comprises a pair of arms each including a mounting bracket extending away from the other arm and a connecting member interconnecting the arms. The mounting brackets of the arms are configured to be received by the slot of the rack. The clamp actuator moves the mounting brackets of the second clamp member toward the flanges of the first clamp member as the first and second clamp members are moved to the engaged position. Each flange of the engagement members is configured to engage a side of a respective solar module when the first and second clamp members are in the engaged position.
The clamp actuator may bias the first and second clamp members toward the disengaged position. The clamp actuator may include a fastener interconnecting the bridge of the first clamp member and the connecting member of the second clamp member. The clamp actuator may also include a spring disposed about the fastener within the bore engaging the bridge and the connecting member. The spring biases the first and second clamp members toward the disengaged position.
The two flanges of each engagement member may define a gap therebetween. The bridge may extend between the gaps defined by the two flanges of each of the engagement members. The gaps align with the mounting brackets of one of the arms. The length of each of the mounting brackets is longer than the width of each of the gaps. Each of the flanges of the engagement members may include a spur configured to engage the solar module for grounding.
Features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and the accompanying drawings described below, wherein an embodiment of the disclosure is described and shown, and in part will become apparent upon examination of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Other aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, wherein similar structures have like or similar reference numerals.